WHAT CAN I DO WITH A MAJOR IN...
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Political science is a branch of social science concerned with
theory, description, analysis and prediction of political behavior, political systems and politics broadly-construed. It
examines the ways in which legislative, electoral, judicial, and
administrative structures vary among countries, the reasons
why governments change, fall, and engage in wars, and the
behavior of public officials. *
*Taken from the UNC Charlotte Department of
Political Science & Public Administration and
the College Board Book of Majors
SAMPLE OCCUPATIONS
Government
Foreign Service Officer
FBI/CIA Agent
Policy Maker
Diplomat
Law Enforcement Officer
Law/Politics
Lobbyist
Lawyer
Elected Official
Political Advisor
Congressional Aid
Business/Media
Sales Manager
Marketing Director
Product Designer
Journalist
Foreign Correspondent
Community Relations Mgr.
Nonprofit
Policy Analyst
Volunteer Coordinator
Fundraiser
Community Organizer
Program Director
Education
High School Teacher
Political Scientist/Faculty
TYPES OF EMPLOYERS
Political Action Committees
Broadcast Media Stations
Peace Corps
Library of Congress
Educational Institutions
Legal Aid Societies
Government Agencies
Labor Unions
Large Corporations
World Bank
PREPARING FOR YOUR CAREER IN
Government: Gain knowledge about local, state, and federal government organizations and the various branches of
government, seek leadership roles in campus organizations
like the model United Nations and student government, complete a thesis to demonstrate research and writing skills, intern at a government agency, acquire a foreign language
Law/Politics: Take courses in criminal justice or debate,
join the pre-law society and take the LSAT to get into law
school, shadow or intern in a courtroom, political campaign,
public interest group, or law firm to gain experience and
confirm your direction, participate in a debate , mock trial, or
forensic team, build skills working with diverse populations,
be prepared to begin a political career as a volunteer before
moving to paid positions, take courses in statistics and public
policy
Business/Media: Join a business-oriented student organization, do an internship in a corporation or publisher, take
business elective classes, hone leadership, public speaking,
and writing skills, be willing to start in a management-trainee
program, become proficient in computer and software use
Nonprofit: Gain experience through extensive volunteering or interning as this is crucial in finding full time positions,
develop strong communication and researching skills, learn
about fundraising, budgeting, and grant writing, earn graduate degree in library/information science or museum studies
RELATED WEBSITES
American Political Science Association: Careers
www.apsanet.org/CAREERS/Careers-In-PoliticalScience
American Bar Association
www.abanet.org
American Federation of Government Employees
www.afge.org
Go Government
gogovernment.org
HOW DO I KNOW IF IT’S RIGHT FOR ME?
ASSESS: Take a career assessment, such as the Strong
Interest Inventory or MBTI, to see how your interests,
values, and personality fit with majors and careers.
RESEARCH: Research the careers on this WCIDWAMI and
thousands of other careers using these top career websites:
http://onetonline.org
http://www.bls.gov/oco
EXPLORE: Observe a professional in action by participating in the Job Shadowing program (individual shadowing and
group site visits) and attending career panels. Further your
exploration while gaining valuable skills by completing an
internship, co-op, volunteer, or research experience.
For the expanded version of this WCIDWAMI, visit
career.uncc.edu/majors/PoliticalScience
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